The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-01-31
FALLING BUILDINGS.
A LOUD CRASH ON MAIN STREET
Caused by tho Collapse Of Two Of tho
Buiidlngs of tho Zane Block, Which
We're Recently Injured by n Fire.
.a Considerable Loss Occssioued.

About twenty-five minutes past elk
o'clock lsut evening, during the prevalence
Of a heavy wind storm, persons in the
business part Of the city, between Tenth
street and ths creek and EoG street and
the river, were startled BY d laundering
crash that seemed To shake tho very earth.
twas occasioned by the collapse Of the
partition wall between Nos. 100 aud I'LL
Main street, the two upper buildings Of
the Zane block, situated on the west aide
Of the street, between Eleventh and
Twelfth streets. They were the two up.
per buildings Of the three formerly occu.
pied by McGillin 4 Co., and which were
badly injured by fire about ono month ago.
The upper building was a three-story
brick and the ono next to 1t, No. I'LL, 4
four.story brick; both were quito old and
belonged to the Zane estate. Tho fire that
damaged them started in No. I'LL. As
will be remembered, the fire was a hard
one to fight and the firemen had to throw
an unusual amount Of water in order to
drown 1t out. For the past week work.
men have been employed about the place
renewing tho woodwork aud foors that
were burned, and putting the buildingsin q
proper condition to be again used as store
rooms. All this work was destroyed by
last nights collapse; in fact tho two build.
ings are completely wrecked, and when
rebuilt 1t will have to be from the founda.
tious up. II is probable that the south
wall OF the building, No. ll07, occupied by
O'kano 4 Divine, tho shoe men, and the
north wall Of No. 1ll3 have been injured
by the pulling out Of the joists Of the
tloora Of the two wrecked buildings, but
the darkness and the dangerous condition
Of the walls left standing made 1t imposai.
bic to make close examination and as
certain whether this WAS go or not, last
night. 07'g CO.." ,G-
The partition wall when 1t fell carried
with 1t the roof Of No. 1lC0 and a part Of
tho one over No. I'LL, the aoors Of both
buildings and portion Of tho rear wall.
Tho crash, as may we'll be imagined. was a
terrific one and q large crowd rapidly col.
lected. For a time there was such a
cloud OF dust that 1t was impossible to SEQ
Just what had happened, but this was
soon blown away ard thon a new danger
presented itHelf; it could be seen that the
front walls, which were left standing, were
badly sprung and the wind blowing, threat
ened to topple them over at any moment.
The people at once got on the other side
OF the street and remained there, except a
few venturesome ones and they were
soon driven away by city officials who
stretched ropes.
1t was at first thought that the wind had
caused the damage, but this theory gave
way to one to the effect that the water
thrown on the fire had weakened the
wall BY freezing and softening the bricks
30 that crumbling took place and let the
wall down. The workmen who have been
about tho place the past week noticed two
or three bad CRACKS In the wall,
and also saw several places where
the bricks had crumbled. Atten.
ton was called to these places, but
they were not thought to be dangerous
It Is very fortunate thing that the fall
took place when it did and not when men
were employed about the place. The
front walls will probably have to come
down and to-day may show further dam
abe done. The loss will be quite heavy;
1t was estimated at from $1,000, to Sl0,-
600 but no one could be found who could
speak definitely. ',t sa ~